Flukes
by rinalena95
Summary: Mae was on the right track. A trip to South Side spun her way off to no place she ever expected. See what a fluke can lead to… Whole gang's here. T for now.
1. Chapter 1: Luck You Got

**Hi! Hope you like this. Idea just popped into my head and I couldn't get it out.**

**Chapter One – The Luck You Got**

"Think of all the luck you got

Know that it's not for naught

You were beaming once before

But it's not like that anymore…"

– The High Strung

* * *

'God it's hot...' Mae groaned inwardly. She felt the sweat beading on the back of her neck as she leaned her head back against the sticky blue seat. The bus she was on seemed extra stuffy and crowded as it huffed through the late-afternoon streets of muggy, summertime Chicago. She was glad that she had worn a dress that was at least a little flowy. It was a light blue hand me down that she had almost grown out of, but even if it was a bit short now, it was better than anything else she had in the sizable canvas bag sitting on her lap. A sizable canvas bag that was filled with all she had left in the world...

Mae sighed.

Her feet were sore. She felt as though she had been walking all day long, though really she had only been sitting on planes, buses and the L since the time she had left San Francisco. As Mae watched the familiar dilapidated homes pass by through the bus' window, she thought of the last time she had been here. The houses had all been covered in snow and she had to pile on every piece of clothing that she had brought with her on her visit in order to stay warm.

That had been just over five months ago, she had been a junior in high school on Christmas break. Dionne, Mae's mom, had shipped her off to see her half-brother also known as Mae's long ignored Uncle. Her mom had said it was to get to know the family, but Mae knew it had been so that Di could be free to take her 25 year old boyfriend to Hawaii.

Mae hadn't really minded though, she wound up loving spending time with her Uncle. He had such an interesting way of looking at stuff and was generally a fun person to be around. His wife hadn't been so bad either at first, though Mae got the sense she had wanted her gone by the end of the trip.

So much had happened since then...

'Seems like a lifetime ago...' Mae sighed, pushing the light brown hair that had escaped her messy bun out of her mossy, hazel eyes.

Here she was again. Mae wasn't sure if she'd even be welcomed back, she had tried reaching her Uncle over the phone to say she was coming but he must have changed his number. She had his address but even if she mailed him a head's up she would have arrived before he got the letter anyway and mailing him anything express wasn't an option, she needed to save what little money she had.

So now she was riding on a bus in a city she barely knew, just hoping that her last resort hadn't moved away.

"Honey." A croaky voice from the seat beside her broke Mae's train of thought.

Mae looked at the elderly, white haired woman sitting next to her and nodded for her continue.

"Could you help an old woman up? This is my stop coming up."

Mae resisted the urge to grimace, she really did not want to get up if she didn't need to, her feet were killing her and yet "Ah yeah..." was her reluctant reply, before she glanced outside the window and continued with a smile "Actually, you know what? This is my stop too."

"Wonderful." The older woman grinned, though something about it was off.

With a grunt Mae picked herself up and hauled the canvas backpack on to her shoulders, before holding out an arm to the older woman. She was surprised to see how short the woman was, Mae was only 5'4" but still had to look down at the light haired lady.

"Thank you!" Mae shouted to the bus driver as they exited the bus through the back doors.

Once they were on the street with the bus wheezing away, Mae noticed the older woman was staring up at her strangely.

"Everything all right?"

"You thanked him." The woman said bluntly.

Mae shrugged, she wasn't the best mannered person in the world but she tried to be polite when she could.

"You'll be all right from here?" She asked the woman, who simply nodded in reply. "Ok." Mae smiled, as she began her walk towards her Uncle's house.

'God damn shoes...' Mae cursed. Sandals weren't exactly the best for walking in, but right at this moment she didn't really have many options.

Strolling past yards filled with trash, pavement with weeds growing up through the many cracks in it and houses filled with sounds of squealing children Mae allowed her mind to wander.

'Should have brought more...' she dwelled on the strain of the backpack straps on her shoulders. It wasn't quite as bad as she thought it would have been, she could have taken more of her books… some more clothes at least. 'Oh well… shoulda, coulda, woulda...' she scoffed humourlessly to herself. That appeared to have become her motto over the past couple of months.

As she walked, Mae became vaguely aware of the sound of shuffling behind her. Bristling at the idea of someone following her, Mae made an attempt at casually stealing a look over her shoulder. There she saw that the old woman had been trailing the same path as her.

'That's how slow you're walking Esmae. Even an old timer can keep up!' Mae criticized herself, causing her sore feet to throb in response.

'Is she following me?' The brown haired girl asked herself. She wondered if this lady was one of those stories you hear about... crazy people you picked up on the transit system that wanted to come home like strays.

'But you're not going home.' A bitter voice in Mae's head remarked.

'Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!'

The hairs that had fallen out of her bun were starting to stick to her neck now and Mae couldn't wait to reach her destination.

'Almost there...' she encouraged herself, walking by some rusted and beaten up fences, ignoring a couple of losers on the road, leaning out of the passenger side of a car whistling at her.

'Almost there...'

"What baby? You too good for us?"

Slowing her pace, Mae decided to linger back so that she was walking closer to the old lady from the bus. Even though the elderly woman wouldn't be able to defend either of them and was probably somewhat deranged herself, Mae would gladly choose her company over the boys in the car.

"Oh, what's that? Your granma baby?" The men laughed, slowing down even more. "We ain't picky honey. We could eat you both up."

The girl nervously eyed the old lady who had stopped in her tracks to glare at the boys. Everyone had come to a stop. Mae held her breath anxiously waiting.

"Think you're so tough, talkin' all kinds of shit to a little girl and an old lady? Think you're big men, huh?" The grey haired woman had practically shouted as she moved towards the car. "How about I come over there and you show me how big those balls are?"

"Yo, man go, go! Old bitch ain't kidding." One of the panicked looking boys in the passenger seat urged the driver. Soon enough with a screech of tires the car had disappeared around the block.

"Fucking assholes" the light eyed lady spat at the spot where the car had been, before hobbling back to the sidewalk.

'Holy shit.' Mae knew her mouth was hanging open but she couldn't make it close just yet.

The old lady smiled triumphantly, "Just gotta show 'em a little muscle is all."

"Uh huh," Mae nodded, still in awe.

"Not from around here I take it." The older lady said, as she gestured for them to carry on walking.

"Ah… no. I've visited but San Francisco's my hometown."

"So here for another family visit?"

"How'd you know I came for family last time?"

"Sweetheart, this is South Side. Canaryville, Chicago. If you're here for anything other than family you've hit rock bottom or you're in hiding."

Looking around the less than picturesque streets in the setting sunlight, Mae admitted "I guess you're right."

"I usually am, hun." The old woman grinned knowingly "Ah! Here we are." She suddenly remarked, clearly having laid eyes on where she had been heading.

Mae followed her gaze. Her heart skipped a beat.

"Here?" The young girl pointed as they came to a stop outside a house Mae knew all too well. "You live here?" she asked, looking at the woman in disbelief.

"My son does."

"Who's your son?"

"Frank Gallagher. Why? You know him?"

A series of memories from last Winter flashed through Mae's mind. Frank Gallagher... yeah, she knew him. That drunk who could barely take care of himself, let alone his kids. 'His kids...' Mae heart and head were pounding.

"S-sort of. I babysat for Fiona a few times while I was here."

"Really? How many kids does she have?"

"No. They weren't..." Mae's brow furrowed, surely their grandmother would know. "They were all Frank's," she explained.

"Right, right..." the older woman pursed her lips "...remind me of them again."

Skeptical, Mae frowned at the lady. She wasn't sure she wanted to be giving out information about Fiona's family without her knowing. This lady might not even be who she said she was.

Obviously seeing her distrust the woman smiled reassuringly. "Look, I've just been away awhile. I was dropped off at the wrong place, it's been stressful enough. I haven't seen my grandbabies in years and my memory's not what it used to be. Ian and Lip came to visit me some time back, and I felt awful that I didn't recognize them. So please just help me out here."

Mae's heart was still calming down from earlier and she was on hyper aware alert of how the woman was behaving, but Mae had to hand it to her, the lady was disarmingly convincing. 'No doubt. She must be a Gallagher' Mae relented, figuring that it couldn't hurt just to remind her of the names.

"There's Liam, the youngest. Then Carl and Debbie. I didn't watch..." clearing her throat when the words got caught Mae swallowed thickly "... you know the others."

Clasping Mae's small hand in her large ones the older Gallagher thanked Mae. "You certainly are a sweetheart..." she trailed off, plainly waiting for Mae to introduce herself.

"Ah, Esmae, but everyone calls me Mae."

"I'm Peg." The grey haired woman replied, "Would you like to come in and meet them with me? Sure they'd love to see you."

Mae's throat suddenly became thick.

"Um, maybe another time. I gotta get to my Uncle's."

"All right then."

Mae made a move to step back but Peg pulled her into a hug before she did.

"The only way say bye properly, honey." The grandma said, as Mae awkwardly returned the hug. "Take it easy." Peg pulled away and waddled towards the Gallagher's front porch.

"You too." Mae offered as farewell. She didn't really wanna be around when that door opened, so she rushed to get as much distance between that house and her as she could. However, that distance didn't really add up to a lot.

Before she knew it, she was a door down on her Uncle's front steps. Taking a deep breath, her greenish-hazel eyes zeroed in on the dark door. She could hear the sound of Peg being invited in at the neighbours and was doing her best to block it out. Mae had to stop her mind from drifting and wondering about who had answered the door and what they had been doing over the past months. 'Focus on this house damnnit!' Mae forced herself to think. She prayed for a moment that if anyone was home at all it would be her Uncle and not his wife.

When she heard the door close at the next house over, Mae finally made herself knock. At first there was no answer, she felt her stomach twist in panic before she knocked again harder and waited. Soon enough she could hear shuffling and swearing.

"What the fuc..." her Uncle had opened the door, in his boxers, hair messed up, clearly bleary eyed from sleep and ready to rip whoever had disturbed his rest a new one. But all that dropped once he saw who it was. "What the fuck?" He stated with more softness. He rubbed his eyes and took another look at Mae.

"Hey, Uncle Kev" Mae smiled lamely, waving her hand. Once again, before she knew what was happening, Mae was drawn into yet another hug. But this one she welcomed. She felt herself release some of the tension she had been holding since the year had started.

"Hiya kid." Her Uncle kissed the top of her head. "Wanna tell me what you're doing here?"

Wrapping her arms around her Uncle, Mae squeezed him tighter "I have some news."

As soon as she had done it, she knew he knew. He had immediately tensed up.

Pulling back and holding her shoulders, he looked down at her. She could see the mix of anger and worry in his brown eyes "I'd fucking say so."

"Ah, yeah." Mae's head dropped, she looked at her swollen ankles and worn out shoes. Seemed ankles and boobs were the only things really affected so far everything else about her was still small, her belly had only just started to pop out.

"Dionne kick you out?"

Unable to bring herself to speak or even look at him, Mae simply nodded.

"What a remarkable bitch" he hissed under his breath, his tone changed though as he asked "How far along?"

"About five months."

Mae suddenly felt his fingers clench around her shoulders "Mae, about five months or over?" all at once she knew why he had tightened his grip. A little over five months ago she had been here. "Esmae Loche look at me." Slowly raising her eyes, she looked at her already fuming Uncle.

"Over..." she said quietly.

"Son of a bitch! I'm gonna kill that little shit!" Like a shot her Uncle was gone. Passed Mae and out on to the sidewalk in bare feet and boxers.

Springing out of her stupor and into action Mae chased after him. "Wait! Kevin! Stop! Where are you even going?" she asked her breathing already laboured.

"To murder Phillip fucking Gallagher!"

* * *

**Hope you enjoyed it so far. Obviously changed Grammy's arrival up a bit. Let me know. Next chapter soon!**


	2. Chapter 2: Hot Gossip

**Man! So obsessed with this show. Thanks for the support for the last chapter. Hopefully this doesn't disappoint. Sorry about the editing.**

**Chapter Two – Hot Gossip**

"… Have you heard what they're saying about that girl

Word is out on the street

They don't miss a beat

Somebody turned on the heat…"

– Twirl

* * *

Lip massaged his aching jaw. "Fuck me." He squinted against the glare of the afternoon sun, taking his last cigarette out of his shirt pocket and lighting it.

Things had not been going well.

The hell if he knew how things were going at all.

Karen was a goddamn mess and he wasn't doing much better.

Generally he was pretty good at seeing things straight but now everything was fuzzy and the rules he had about how he and his family got by everyday didn't fit the same way.

Raking a dirty hand back through his filthy sandy brown hair, Lip lazily took a drag of his cigarette. He could tell that the weed and booze were wearing off. The open skin over his right eye was starting to sting with the sweat that was forming on his forehead running into it. 'Nothing like getting the shit kicked out of you to kill a buzz,' he winced, patting the skin above the cut dry.

At the time, like most of his whims, it had felt right. That guy had been huge and Lip had wanted to have his ass handed to him for some reason.

Ever since he had found out about Karen and the baby Lip had been restless. Nothing he did seemed right. Something about the way Karen was acting was so aggravating to him, but somehow that same something was making it so difficult for him to hate her. He always had a weird time hating her completely. That whole fucking thing with Frank, her thing with her dad… she kept getting some twisted high from messing with other people's shit.

His neck cracked as his stretched his head to the side. "Jeez…" he mumbled with cigarette hanging between his lips.

As he rubbed the base of his sore neck, Lip's light blue gaze fell on the numerous broken and rusted toys lining the yards of his neighborhood. 'My neighborhood…' he let out a harsh exhale of smoke through his nose. Shaking his head at his fraying shoes, he couldn't believe how he had gotten stuck in this shit pile.

Sure, it was true that he hadn't exactly been actively pursuing a way out of South Side. But it had always been kind of a given that he'd be the one to get out. Everyone knew. The bets were on him. It was Philip Gallagher who was meant to be the one that didn't fuck it all up.

And yet here he was, fucking it all up. This wasn't meant to happen. Empirically he knew all the facts that made up a 'good life'.

You need a high school diploma to get anywhere, you shouldn't eat donuts for breakfast, you should get 8 hours of sleep… 'You should use a goddamn condom when you fuck lest you get royally fucked yourself!' the acerbic voice in his head remarked.

Lip scratched his fingers across his scalp again, "Ow!" His nails caught on some dried blood in his hair. He tugged harder, ripping the chunk of blood out.

Holding his hand up to his face, he examined the dark little son of a bitch.

'Just another goddamn cliché.' One of those faceless slum kids with alcohol stained teeth, blood in his hair and hands that smell like crap and charcoal. Angrily flicking the chunk away, he could feel that strange hate fill him. 'Why fuck won't she just get rid of it?' That plan had been axed by Karen as soon as he had said it.

Yet another perfect example of Karen fucking his shit, his future up.

He had to recognize that was the strangest thing about this whole ordeal. Lip hadn't really thought about a future until he had heard about the fucking fetus and then, almost immediately, had become aware of how much he did not want a kid.

What in holy hell was he gonna do with a kid?

Fuck… he was having a hard enough time keeping one family afloat. 'Barely afloat…' Lip scoffed.

He wasn't ready to be a father, even if he was already basically filling that roll for his siblings.

Though, in all honesty, he wouldn't push that title too far... 'cause if it came down to it, in truth it was Fiona. There was no point denying it. Fiona made up for both of the parents, or lack thereof, in their family. She was mother and father. Lip pulled his weight but mostly left that major 'raising a family' stuff to Fi.

He was the older brother but not the eldest sibling. He could still get away with doing the shit he wanted to, but there was no hiding from a kid that was actually his.

Heaving out a breath he acknowledged 'That's technically not true…' Karen was giving him a road out. Jody could be its' father.

Lip sucked in a large puff of nicotine infused air.

That didn't sit right either. Jody, or anyone else for that matter… He wasn't sure if it was because of Karen or the tadpole or the both of them but he just couldn't swallow that option. The cut on his forehead throbbed 'I need a fucking drink.'

* * *

"Where the fuck is he?" Kevin had burst into the house through the front door, half dressed and in a rage.

"Jesus! What is it Kev?" The last time Fiona had seen the bearded bartender was a few hours ago, after Karen's wedding. They were each meant to be taking naps before heading to their respective night shifts.

It looked like he hadn't had much success with his sleep either. Though she seriously doubted it was for the same reason unless an old grifter had happened to wake him up too.

The irate man didn't answer her question, he just stormed up the stairs. She could hear him shout Lip's name. "Fuck…" she muttered under her breath, giving Liam who was in the dining room sitting inside his playpen a weary look before chasing after her best friend's man. "Kev! What'd he do?"

"LIP! YOU ASSHOLE! Get out here!" There was a slam as Kevin nearly took the door off the hinges to the boys' room.

The sound of Liam's crying carried up the stairs.

"Debbs!" Fiona called for her sister to get their baby brother.

"I'm helping Grammy" Debbie answered back.

"What's happening?" Carl asked, poking his head out of his room.

"Carl, get back in your room" Fiona instructed breathily. "Debbs!" She shouted again, as Liam's wailing continued.

Carl, ignoring her orders, followed the eldest Gallagher sibling into the hall "Kevin nearly took my head off with the door."

"Carl!" Fiona shouted over her shoulder.

"Fine!" the boy yelled back.

"Kev!" Fiona focused on the crazed man in her house. He was suddenly off again towards the bathroom.

"What the hell is going on?" A raspy annoyed voice shouted from down the hall in Debbs' room.

"I'm takin' care of it Grammy." Fiona replied.

"This circus is what my grand kids are being raised in." The older lady had no issue with shouting that part out too.

Fiona felt her annoyance spike "Fuck off Granma…" she muttered.

"Lip! Your monkey ass best be hiding! I'm gonna rip your head…" Kevin carried on his rampage.

"Kevin!" Fiona shouted, finally sneaking past him, shoving his chest and forcing him to take a step back. "He's not here!" She pushed him again, when he tried to keep going "Ok?" she made him look her right in the eye.

He stopped, but his gaze quickly became distracted once more. Fiona could pretty much see the steam coming out his ears. His teeth gritted together, he took a few steps back then paced towards the bathroom again. He looked like he couldn't decide on what he should have been doing. Eventually he came right up to Fiona's face and pointed at her "You tell that piece of shit you call a brother he's dead."

Dumbfounded Fiona's gaped at Kevin, while he started on his way back downstairs. "Wait! I don't understand." Fiona snapped out of it and found herself chasing him again "What'd he do Kev?"

"What'd he do?" the tall man laughed sourly "What'd he do?" he halted half way down the steps, turning abruptly, causing Fiona to jerk back in surprise. "What didn't he do Fiona? He just walks around fucking up! The smartest guy I've ever known with grade A shit for brains." He screamed with accusation in his voice that seemed to be directed towards her.

"Hey! Don't get mad at me. I try. It's not my fault he's…" obviously still pissed, Kevin didn't wait for her to finish. He turned his back and carried on down the stairs. Fiona's own anger spiked now "Wait! What the hell am I being all apologetic to you for? Why the fuck are you here?" she gave Kevin's back an irritated shove.

"I'm here 'cause your brother is one hell of an jackass." Kevin spat out as he reached the kitchen and began tramping through the dining room towards the front door.

Sighing Fiona put hands on her hips, she was too tired for this shit. "That's still not an answer, Kev." She stopped following him by the couch in the living room, the worry was starting to seep in a little. Her tone changed to a softer one "Come on, just tell me."

Kevin paused at the door, she could see the tension in his back. He stared out at the street before smacking his hand against the door frame. Turning around he looked at Fiona. He had calmed down some but she could still see the fury in his eyes.

"Your brother…" he started, but he stopped mid-sentence his expression changing and his gaze going to something just past Fiona's shoulder. She thought he almost looked sad.

Fiona turned as well to see what he was staring at.

"Ah…" she frowned at what she saw. There was a girl in short blue summer dress, with a canvas bag at her feet, holding Liam by the dining room table.

'How'd I miss that?' Fiona asked herself.

"Sorry, he was fussing…" the brown haired girl nervously explained.

"Um. Who the fuc…" Fiona began harshly, before catching herself and smiling when she realized who the girl was "Mae. Right! How are…" her mouth stopped in a perfect circle, as yet another realization hit her like a tonne of crap covered bricks "How…" her brown eyes widened, she looked between Kev and Mae. Praying that one of them would give her an explanation that wasn't what she was thinking. When neither of them said anything, she squeezed her eyes shut. She suddenly had a skull splitting headache "Lip?" she looked between the Uncle and niece again.

"Yeah." Kevin bit out.

"No" Fiona stated firmly, shaking her head. "Nope. Lip wouldn't do that. He's too smart to not use protection."

"What's that supposed to mean Fiona?" Kevin's anger reared it's head, he moved towards Fiona "Think my niece is some kind of a fucking moron?"

Letting out an exasperated breath, Fiona shrugged "No, but…"

Fiona heard Mae start to speak up but Kevin's pissed off voice overpowered hers "That's real nice, Fiona. Like Lip's some contraceptive genius? He just got Karen knocked up."

"Yeah… well," Fiona struggled to find the right thing to say "it might not even be his!" she lifted her arms to support her point.

"Sure Fiona! It's all on the girl, isn't it?" He scoffed.

"Hey! I've never had that problem!" Fiona unconsciously pointed to Kev's niece, eliciting an even more furious glare from Kevin. Fiona winced clasping the hand she was using to point with her other one. "Sorry…" she gave Mae a sympathetic look.

The girl barely seemed to notice though. She simply absentmindedly jiggled Liam against her hip. She somehow looked even paler than before, her eyes were glazed over.

"She all right?" Fiona asked Kevin.

"What the fuck do you think?" Kevin brushed past Fiona "Your brother ruined her goddamn life." He reached Mae "Hey, hun you okay?" He gently asked, pushing some hair out of the girl's face.

Mae swallowed and nodded her head, making an affirmative noise that actually sounded sort of sickening. Her light brow furrowed and she seemed confused when she spoke, like she couldn't gather her thoughts properly "Ah… my feet hurt. I might have to sit down."

"Mae!" Debbie suddenly squealed from the living room stairs behind Fiona, causing the dark haired Gallagher to jump. Pushing past her sister Debbie ran to her ex-babysitter.

"H-hey Debbs…" Mae smiled weakly. It was fairly easy to tell that she was not in the right mental state to talk to an overexcited little girl. "What's up?"

"I grew 2 whole inches. And look…" Debbie proudly pointed at her own chest, which was still mostly flat.

"That's great Debbs." Mae gave another lackluster smile.

"Debbie could you give us a minute?" Fiona asked "We gotta talk." She added when Debbs gave her face that said she was about to argue. "Debbs." Fiona said in the stern voice that usually got the kids to do what she wanted.

"Fine" the red haired girl huffed, before facing Mae again "Don't leave after. We've got a lot to talk about."

"Debbie…" Fiona chided, thinking that the teenager probably wouldn't be in the mood to talk to Debbie later either.

Despite that the young woman still offered, "All right kid."

"Hey Mae!" now Carl called from the kitchen, drawing everyone's attention.

"Hey Carl." Mae replied, she seemed to be coming out of whatever funk she had been a little "Blow anything up lately?" Fiona couldn't see her face, but it sounded like she was smiling.

Carl gave the girl a shit eating grin "Nah... Nothin' big anyway." He turned his focus to Kev "Why'd you wanna kill Lip?"

"Kay that's enough. Carl. Debbs…" Fiona gave them both looks that said 'get out.'

"Okay, okay we're going," Debbs said though she still pouted, as she headed towards the kitchen to shove Carl back upstairs as well.

"Now…" Fiona barely had a chance to look at Mae before she heard someone shout something about booze and saw Kev disappear like a shot.

"AHH! Fuck!"

Fiona followed the sounds of groaning and the familiar voice out the front door.

"Kev what the hell? This fucking 'beat the shit out of Lip' day or something?" Lip was standing just inside the gate to the front yard, his hands held up to his nose and a lit cigarette between two of his fingers where blood was beginning to pool. Kevin was in front of him, shaking out the hand he had clearly just used to punch the teen boy.

"You know exactly what, Gallagher." Kevin sneered.

"You fuckin' sure about that?" Lip asked incredulously, lowering his hands to take another puff of his smoke. "Fi you know what the fuck's going on in this wack job's head?"

Her eyes darted between Kev and her brother, "Ah, Lip. You better come inside."

"What a coincidence that's just what was trying to do before I ran into this asshole's fist." Lip smirked, insulting Kevin who didn't need much provocation to step aggressively towards him again.

"Kevin don't." Mae piped in from behind Fiona, obviously having followed the action, with Liam still on her hip.

"Hey," Lip greeted, Fiona could see him taking a moment to size Mae up. He smiled, the blood under his nose dripped into his mouth, pinching his smoke between his fingers he gestured to the girl "I know you. You're the niece… ahhh…" he took a sharp intake of air, clicking his tongue against his teeth, searching for her name.

'Come on Lip.' Fiona waited, hoping that the family's male asshat gene could be escaped in some small amount.

"Ahh…" putting the cigarette back to his lips, he snapped his fingers, apparently unable to remember.

He didn't get a chance to even try to voice a guess. Kevin was on him. The older man tackled him to the ground. "YOU MOTHERFUCKER!" Kev started wailing on the teenager.

"Stop!" Both Fiona and Mae shouted, rushing down the front steps to try and hold Kevin back. Lip wasn't really fighting back and Mae was still holding Liam, so they had a harder time getting Kevin off of him than they would have had with Lip's help. Thankfully when they managed to rip the man away Lip was still conscious.

"Jesus Kev! That's all we need, another near goddamn concussion!" Fiona pushed Kevin as hard as she could. Turning back to her brother, Fiona knelt down, pushing his hair back checking over his bloodied face. He had managed to keep his cigarette hanging between his lips.

'Real show of useful Gallagher skills.' Fiona wanted to smack Lip herself as he started straight up laughing. "You think this is funny?" she asked.

"Sure" he shrugged up at her from where he was lying on the ground. "My best friend's beating me for no reason. That's a fucking riot."

"It's not for no reason." Fiona sighed.

"Oh right. Poor etiquette. Forgot a name" he scoffed, taking the smoke that was now bitten in half out of his mouth and flicking it away. His light blue eyes shifted to Mae. "Oh fair lady. Would thou doest the honour of giving me your goddamn name so your cunt of an Uncle will leave my face alone?"

"Lip." Fiona lightly hit his shoulder, before staring up at the girl who had grown pale again.

Mae seemed frozen for a second but slowly her jaw began to tighten. She put Liam on the ground, leaned in as close as she could to Lip's face and shouted "YOU'RE AN ASSHOLE!" after that she bolted into the house to grab her bag and left, making sure to stomp on the inside of Lip's left thigh when she walked over him.

"AH! Shit! Jesus Christ! Mary and Joesph!" Lip grabbed his leg, panting and groaning into the ground. Even at a pulp Lip, true to form, couldn't leave it alone and had to live up to his name. "So I'm guessing we fucked." With that Kevin fist found his face again.

* * *

**Hope you like it! Please forgive the editing. Let me know :)**


	3. Chapter 3: Trouble Came Running

**Hey! Hope you're all doing well. Thanks so much for all the encouragement. I really appreciate it. Tried my best on the editing. **

**Chapter Three – Trouble Came Running**

"… Here it come running

Here it come running again

Trouble come running

Here it come running again…"

– Spoon

* * *

"Ow! Fuck Debbs!"

"Just hold still."

"Be gentle then."

Fiona marched towards them and yanked the cloth Debbie was using to clean the most recent cut Lip had acquired at his hairline "Know what?" she glared.

"AHHH!" Lip screamed when Fiona pressed the damp towel harder into the fresh scrape "Damn it Fi!"

"Clean it your damn self." She threw the rag at him and made Debbie stand up from where she had been sitting at the kitchen table with him. "Come Debbs move." Fiona ushered Debbs towards the stairs.

"Hey, Fiona. I'm not a ki…"

"Debbie just…go." Fiona headed for the stairs as well, before getting a second wind and turning back to berate him "I mean, Jesus Lip! What is it with you? You just stick it in every girl you see?"

"Well I do have some standards…" he shrugged "there not that high but they're something at least."

"Oh that's funny, Lip." Fiona faked an impressed face before scowling "Let's see how that comedy act helps when you've got two kids to take care of… 'cause hey," she gestured wildly between them "… in case you've forgotten our earlier conversation, I sure as shit am not raisin' anymore goddamn kids."

Huffing out a weary breath, Lip gently prodded at the ache on his right shoulder "Would you relax? There's no way that little zygote's mine."

"Like the way Karen's might not have been yours?"

"Ah." Lip pretended to ponder for a moment "Not exactly, 'cause ah I'm pretty sure we'd have to had slept together for those kinds of odds. And what's more, Karen's still might not be mine either."

"Right, sure." Fiona scoffed, angrily picking up dirty dishes from the crowded counters and throwing them in the sink "And Frank isn't passed out drunk in some gutter right now."

"You know? I find your consistent lack of faith truly awe inspiring." He grimaced patting the open wound at the crown of his head.

"Yeah, well in this house that shouldn't be a surprise." She stared at him for a breath "Lip, how can you be sure?"

"I know 'cause I didn't sleep with Mae, she…"

"Mae! It's Mae now?" Fiona interrupted with an exasperated question "You suddenly remember her name?"

"You slept with Mae?" Debbs' voice carried from the stairs, where she was still parked and listening from.

"Debbs!" Fiona yelled walking towards the stairs, it was clear with the sound of pounding footsteps that Debbie got the message to get her butt upstairs.

Lip rolled his shoulders, putting down the towel and looking for a spare cigarette on the messy kitchen table as he replied to Fiona's question "I was just trying to piss Kev off."

"Real mature." His tired sister mocked, lolling her head back to stare at the ceiling.

"Hey! I wasn't the one throwing punches for no fucking reason." Lip pointed in the direction of Kev and Vee's house.

"From what I can tell it's still a pretty good reason." She ground her teeth and stared at him with doubt evident in her eyes "All we have is your word for it and the fact that she yelled in your face doesn't really work in your favour either." She laughed without humor "Jesus it's like I'm lookin' at another freaking Frank!"

"Hey!" Lip banged his hand against the table, causing Fiona to twitch in surprise. She stared at him wide eyed, he had no idea what he must have looked like, but he knew that her saying that about him and Frank made him seethe. "Don't fucking say that shit to me…" he said in a low voice.

Fiona took a minute to respond, her shock fading away quickly "You know what? You're right. I mean at least Frank managed to keep it in one chick. Congrats you've surpassed our rat of a father." She threw more plates into the sink.

His mouth drew into a tight line, "Look…" taking a calming breath and deciding to relent Lip, chewed on the side of cheek before carrying on "there could have been…"

"Oh yeah!" Fiona interjected angrily, accusingly glaring at him "Could've been what?"

Stalling for a second, Lip raised his arms in defense "All right, so maybe I remember coming home and her being on the couch…" he frowned "or maybe it was my bedroom floor and…"

"Jesus Lip!" Fiona flung another dirty dish towel in his direction causing Lip to jump out of his chair to dodge the flying item.

"My boxers was still on!" He yelled in retort, though as soon as he had said it he knew how lame it sounded.

"And where were your pants?" the eldest Gallagher raised her eyebrows to illustrate exactly how lame his point had been.

He winced "I don't remember that. Just it sort of smelt…"

She grimaced "Smelt?"

'Hmm…' he could feel his nose tinge as the memory came back to him.

"Like girl…" He explained, causing Fiona to further screw up her face in disgust.

"Ew, Lip."

"Not that. Like cinnamon and shit…" he gestured as though it was obvious "Like girl." He stated once more. "I went to Kev's to see her that morning he told me to stay away from her, though he made his point with more colourful words and being a good fucking friend I stayed the hell away. Figured she'd come to see me if… you know… And this is what I get," he pointed to his swollen eye "...for my trouble."

Pinching the bridge of her nose, Fiona closed her eyes then opened them to wearily state "Whatever Lip, I gotta get ready for work, you just figure it out."

As he watched her climb the stairs the last conversation he had with that prick, Frank, played over his mind. He felt a surge of anger and adrenaline course through him, making him reply resolutely "I have."

"Yeah sure…" Fiona commented dismissively over her shoulder as she continued up the creaking stairs.

Looking around the mess of an empty kitchen, Lip took in the finger paintings stuck to the fridge, the smelly laundry stacked in the corner by the washing machine, unpaid bills spread out over the kitchen counter under mounds of daily crap and other random shit. This was life, those were his brothers and sisters, not his kids, but they may as well have been. It was all so wrong, it all made him want to rip his father's nuts off. Clenching and unclenching his fists, his glanced down at his palms, muttering as he did "I'm not gonna be another fucking Frank."

* * *

"What is this Kev?"

"Please baby…" Kevin whined still dressed only his boxers, as he proceeded argue with his wife in front of Mae as if the young girl wasn't even sitting there on their sticky faux leather living room sofa.

"Don't 'baby' me. How long is she meant to stay here?" Vee waved her hand at the light haired girl, without even looking at her.

"She's my niece!" He exclaimed, his brown eyes lighting up with another realization "And that means she's yours too!"

"Yeah and between her, Ethel and Jonah we'll gonna be eaten out of house and home."

"That's…" unable to hold her tongue any longer Mae stepped into the argument, earning an unappreciative look from Veronica "… ah, I have mo-" Mae face lined in confusion as she searched the inside of her bra for the couple of hundred she was sure she had saved "money…" she whispered, too quiet for anyone else to hear. Squeezing her hazel-green eyes shut she breathed "… damn it…" as what had most likely happened dawned on her.

'Rusty, much?' She scolded herself. 'Hug from a Gallagher, should've known better.' The last time she had been here she had been run through that particular gambit. Almost everyone living in that dysfunctional house had attempted to swindle her out of money '… or straight up rob me…' she thought of the first time she had met Frank. She had beaten his ass with the security baseball bat that Fiona left on the stairs. He had woken her up by nosily banging through the front door of the Gallagher household, she had found him in the entryway exchanging his ratty coat for her relatively nice winter jacket. She had screamed, got a couple of good whacks in and he had briefly confused her for Fiona, then asked her for money.

'Not the only time you got an abrupt awakening in that house…' Mae inhaled sharply, shoving that other particular experience out of her mind.

In any case she had quickly gotten wise to the great Gallagher act, eventually she had broken past just being someone that they could skim money from.

Debbie had been so desperate for female companionship, all it took was some shared experience and making hot chocolate to hawk outside of the Alibi to get the little girl to trust her. Carl finally stopped digging through Mae's stuff when she helped him change his sheets one night when he had wet his bed. At first he had threatened to shank her if she told anyone. But that didn't happen, not once she tucked him back in bed and stayed when he asked her to. He wouldn't tell her what was wrong, but he laughed when Mae told him about the time Molly Minken had stuck her hand in a warm bowl of water and made her pee herself at her first and only ever slumber party. 'Shared experience…' Mae could still remember waking up in horror that night with a soaked sleeping bag and the cruel laughs surrounding her. While going through it hadn't been fun, joking about it with Carl had been.

It happened a few more times when Fiona and the older boys stayed out all night. But Mae figured out that if someone was in the room with him he was usually all right. So she had made a game of it each night she was over taking care of Debbie, Carl and Liam. They built forts out of blankets and pillows that sprawled inside the house. 'Which is how you got in this mes…'

"Nope." She said to herself out aloud without meaning to.

"What's the matter with you?" Vee stared at her in amazement. "Feelin' yourself up in front of your Uncle…" she shook her head in disapproval.

"What?" Mae yanked her hand out of her bra "No I just… Gallaghers…" Mae shrugged now, not really in the mood to tell her irritated Aunt that she had lost $300 to an old lady.

"Maybe she could be another foster kid. Her mom's kicked her out…" Kevin went on suggesting.

"Why would they put her into foster care with a relative?" Vee questioned "Let them know she's been kicked out of home they'll probably make you adopt her. Know how much that's gonna fuckin' cost?"

"Shit Vee. You can't seriously be askin' me to shove my pregnant niece out on to the streets!" he exclaimed "She's family."

"Family? You wanna talk about family? What has her mother ever done for you? Loungin' out there in San Francisco or wherever the fuck she is. Wasn't she married some bigwig sugar daddy? When did you ever see a hand out from her?"

"Argh! How many times do I have to go over this Vee? He was pushed out by his partners, didn't have a penny to his name."

"Right and your darling sister? What about her?" Vee put her hands on her hips and stared at Kevin coldly "That was 10 years ago and she landed on her feet didn't she? And I doubt she's just been sittin' on her ass since then, am I right?" Vee turned suddenly to Mae, fixing her with a powerful stare.

"Ah… she's done well…" Mae resisted the urge to look down at her feet.

"But that's not the point Vee. She" Kevin pointed at Mae "was kicked out. She doesn't have a thing to her name…"

'Not technically true…' Mae thought of her father. He had taken off pretty soon after losing his job, she could barely remember him but at least he had cared enough about her future to try to set up something. 'Now that's all gone to hell.' Mae looked down at her barely swollen belly, she felt the baby flutter inside her.

Taking in a deep breath, Mae tried to contribute again "I'll get a job… I'll…"

"Nah. Fuck that noise" Kevin butted in "You're too smart to drop out…"

"Clearly not smart enough…" Vee muttered under breath.

"What was that?" Kev immediately turned on his wife.

"Uncle Kevin," Mae said in a clearer voice, bringing back his attention. Looking between the couple, Mae gave her stomach a rub, her voice coming out brokenly when she hadn't meant for it to "Aunt Vee's right. Smart but real stupid."

Something in Vee's face changed, it lost some of its hard edge for a flicker of a moment.

"Nah." Kev determinedly shook his head "You are finishing school. With your grades you got be a shoo-in for a scholarship or somethin'… you pay us back when you get out of college."

Biting her lip, Mae figured it probably wasn't the best time to mention how and why if she were even going to college money wouldn't be a problem. Especially judging by the fact that Vee stomped her foot and marched off out the backdoor of the house, obviously not in the mood to discuss this matter any further.

"She'll warm up…" Kev smiled sympathetically at his light haired niece.

"Yeah. Looks like when hell freezes over…" Mae tried to smile, but she could feel the water beginning to pool in her eyes "I'm so…" she gasped as a few tears escaped "I'm so sorry."

"Hey, hey, hey" Kev moved towards her, wrapping her in a protective hug.

"I had nowhere else…"

"Don't even worry about it" he pulled away to look her in the eye "That's what family's for, kid. Got it?"

"Got it." She smiled, wiping her cheeks. "These hormones are just driving me crazy."

"Yeah I saw." He wiggled his eyebrows in an impressed gesture "You nearly took Lip's leg off."

"Not so sure if that one was all hormones." She laughed lightly with a sniff.

"I don't blame you." Kev laughed too before adding "Fucking prick" in regards to Lip.

"I'm just glad he didn't follow me." She sniffed again.

'Liar…'

Blinking her eyes clear, Mae ignored the voice in her head and focused on the facts "He is a prick." She smiled, staring up at her Uncle. Her chin pebbled in puzzlement soon after "Hey, how'd you know?" she asked just as the house phone rang.

"Know what?" Kev stepped away and began distractedly looking around the living room for the phone.

"Know that it was… you know… him…" she finished, feeling like a coward. 'Can't even say his name.'

"Ah, yeah?" Kev answered the phone, "Jesus I'll be right there. Keep your panties on." He hung up and began head towards the laundry room to find some clothes "I gotta go to work hun. There's food in the kitchen and…"

"How, Uncle Kevin?" Mae question again still fishing for an answer.

"How what sweetheart?"

Sighing and leaning back against the wall of the living room Mae let it go for the time being. "Never mind."

"All right," he panted, coming back fully dressed, he kissed the top of her head "I'll be back around one, Vee'll be back to get ready for her shift, and hopefully she'll have cooled off. Lock the door behind me, don't open it for strangers" he patted his jeans' pockets making sure he had grabbed everything he needed, before heading towards the front door. Halfway out he stopped "Oh! But Ethel and Jonah'll be back from the store soon. She dresses like a prairie girl, you can let her in, but no strangers" he repeated firmly.

"No strangers. But knives in the toaster are ok, right?" Mae asked sarcastically.

He opened his mouth obviously thinking that she was being serious for a minute before realizing she was joking. "See ya' brat." He grinned, closing the door behind him as he left.

"See ya'…" she smiled, locking the door and feeling better for a second, but then the baby moved again and a wave of nausea hit just as there was a knock at the door.

* * *

**Once again thanks so much for the support. Sorry about editing. Let me know what you think :)**


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